Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Displaced From Iraq’s Ramadi Unlikely To Return To Their Homes For Months

The city of Ramadi was freed in February, but its fate is
yet to be determined. Besides members of the security forces that are
attempting to disarm the hundreds of bombs left behind by the Islamic State,
the city is pretty much empty. The majority of its population is living in
camps in western Anbar, and they are unlikely to return any time soon.

Ramadi’s population is going to remain displaced for the
foreseeable future. Currently most of the residents live
in camps in Habaniya and Amiriya Fallujah. Anbar Governor Sohaib al-Rawi told
the press that around 13,500 families have been displaced from Ramadi and the
surrounding region. The problem is that the district is not safe to go back to.
The Islamic State no longer remains, but its after effects are alive and well.
That mostly consists of thousands of improvised explosive devices left behind.
The head of the security committee on the Anbar council was quoted
as saying that it might take two months or more to clear the city of IEDs. The
Khalidiya Council claimed
it would be longer at six months. Either way it will be an arduous process to
make the area safe. Until then, Ramadi will remain empty of people.

Even when those people are allowed to go back there might be
little for them to return to. The United Nations did an analysis
using satellite photos and estimated that 5,700 buildings were damaged, which
was roughly 60% of Ramadi. In March, the U.N. did its first ground
survey and found that the city was the most war stricken in Iraq. The main
hospital and train station were destroyed, 64 bridges in the area had been
blown up, and the electrical grid was down. A member of the provincial council
said in March that there was no money to help with the return of Ramadi’s
displaced or for rebuilding, and called on the international community to
donate funds. Given that amount of destruction and the financial crisis that
Iraq is currently facing it will likely take years for Ramadi to be rebuilt.
There’s also the high likelihood that the Islamic State will try to
re-infiltrate into the area, and fighting will return to the area. That could
lead to future displacement, and delay any rebuilding plans that eventually
find financing.

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About Me

Musings On Iraq was started in 2008 to explain the political, economic, security and cultural situation in Iraq via original articles and interviews. If you wish to contact me personally my email is: motown67@aol.com